Beer Review: IPA from Lagunitas Brewing Company

This beer has become our talisman for warmer weather. It's everything we love about summery IPAs: namely, a hop-tastic brew with a sturdy backbone of toasted malts. We're convinced that as long as we sip it, winter will continue its fade into distant memory. Think it will work?

Appearance: This ale pours a very clearn golden-honey color. The cap of pure white foam dissipates quickly, but leaves behind some decent lacing.

Aroma: The hops are strong with this one, but a touch of brown sugar adds a mellowing factor.

Taste: The hop flavors swing from citrus zest to ruby-red grapefruit juice to bitter pith. That aroma of brown sugar takes on a bread-like flavor here, and does a nice job of bracing those bright malts. We found the aftertaste to be surprisingly dry and a bit musty, the only unpleasant note in this otherwise fine brew.

Overall, this is a solid IPA. It might not stand out from the crowd, but it's definitely a fantastic everyday brew to have in the fridge.

Food Pairings: This is the beer we'll have in our hands when the first cook-out of the season rolls around. It would be perfect with grilled veggies and marinated steak kabobs.